Hair curler for home permanent waving



Oct..10, 1961 C. L. OTTO ETAL HAIR CURLER FOR HOME PERMANENT WAVING Filed July 11, 1956 INVENTORS CARL L. OTTO LA NELLE BURNHAM OTTO }ATTORNE States The present invention relates to hair curling devices for home permanent waves, and more particularly to an improved hair curling device in which a supply of waving composition is contained in an unexposed but readly usable form.

In connection with home permanent waves, it is conventional procedure to treat the hair with a suitable waving lotion, such as a thioglycolin-ammonia. Either before or after treatment of the hair with the waving lotion the hair is wound upon a under, and the waving lotion is allowed to act upon the curled hair for a predetermined length of time. Heretofore, certain difiiculties have attended the home permanent Waving practice, particularly in connection with the number of operations required for properly applying the waving lotion, and in connection With the exposure of the user to concentrated waiving lotion. Thus, conventional waving lotions are harsh to the skin, and may result in irritation of the hands, which, with conventional home Waving equipment, may be exposed to the waving lotion for a considerable period of tune.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel and improved hair curler device is provided, in which is selfcontained a predetermined quantity of Waving composition. The waving composition is normally completely encased by the curler so that the curler may be handled without irritation or other harmful effects, but is in a form in which it may be readily activated and made accessible by being subjected to water.

More specifically, the invention provides a hair curler device comprising a body of elastically resilient foamed material, in which is embedded in concentrated form Water-soluble waving composition. The composition is thus inaccessible to contact by a user until diluted by wetting of the foam-like body member with water. The arrangement is thus such that the curlers may be handled with complete freedom prior to the application thereof. The curlers are activated by dipping them in water to dissolve the waving composition, whereupon the curlers are applied to the hair in such manner as to permit the waving lotion to seep into the hair from the foam-like body member of the curler.

It is contemplated by the invention that the concentrated Waving composition may be provided in the curler in various forms. By way of example, and not of limitation, the waving composition may take the form of watersoluble pellets thereof or capsules filled therewith, or the composition may be provided in the form of a watersoluble coating about a core member extending through the interior of the curler.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair curler device made in accordance with the present invention, with parts thereof illustrated in exploded relation;

FIGS. 2-4 are longitudinal cross-sections of various forms of the new hair curler device.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, the curler device includes an elongated core member '10, which is preferably an imperforate extruded tubular element of polyethylene or similar material. Surrounding the tubular core 10, and coextensive therewith, is an enlarged body member 11 3,003,505 Patented Oct. 10, 1961 formed of a spongy foam-like material. The body member may be advantageously formed of plastic foam such as vinyl or polyeurethane, which is mixed with a suitable foaming agent and thereby caused to expand and foam up, assuming a lightweight, resilient sponge-like form. The internal structure of the body material is cellular, of course, but is porous throughout so that liquids may pass through the body material with relative freedom.

Removably associated with the body and core assembly 10 11 is a retainer member 12. The retainer 12 is preferably a molded plastic part, having a base 13', retaining fingers 14 and an elongated tapered prong 15 disposed in parallel relation to the retaining fingers 14. The prong 15 is adapted to be received within the tubular core member 10, and the inner or root end of the prong =15 is advantageously of greater width than the internal diameter of the core, so that the core frictionally grips the prong 15 when the parts are assembled together. The retaining fingers 14 are spaced from the prong 15 a distance such that the fingers are disposed along and preferably in contact with the outer surface of the body member 11 when the parts are in assembled relation.

The device as thus described may, depending upon the foamable material and foaming agent used, be manufactured generally in accordance with procedures de scribed in copending application Serial No. 532,051, filed September 1, 1955. To this end, a continuous length of plastic tubing is moved progressively through a traveling mold, into which is introduced a mixture of a foamable material and foaming agent therefor for forming the body member 11. As the tube and foamable material mixture travel with the mold, the mixture foams up about the central tube or core and assumes the shape of the interior of the mold. The mold is advantageously of cylindrical form, with the plastic tube being passed therethrough in concentric relation. The product emerging from the mold is severed into elements of predetermined izeincgthl, having a form substantially as illustrated in In accordance with the present invention, a suitable hair waving composition, in water-soluble form, is embedded in the body member 11 during the manufacture of the part 10- 11 in such manner that the composition is completely covered and surrounded by the expanded body member 11. The outer portion of the completed element 10-11 is therefore chemically inert in its normal condition and may be freely handled without danger of irritation of the skin or without having other harmful effects.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the waving composition may take the form of Watersoluble thioglycolin-ammonia prepared in the form of small pellets 16. The pellets 16 are advantageously fed into the mold after the foamable composition has been injected therein, but before the foaming action has been completed, so that the body material foams up about and engulfs the pellets. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the pellets 16 are advantageously injected into the mold at a point such that the pellets will lie upon or adjacent the core member 10. This may be accomplished by adding the pellets at a time when the foaming action of the body material is approximately half completed, for example. The finished product may contain one or more of the water-soluble pellets 16 inaccessibly embedded a substantial distance below the surface of the foamed body material 11, while being readily dissolvable therein when the device is dipped in water.

In the alternative the pellets may of course be inserted in the core-body member combination 10-11 after the latter has been completed.

The modification illustrtaed in FIG. 3 is similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2 except that the waving compound is encased in water-soluble capsules 17, which are in turn embedded in the foamable body material 11. The capsules 17, as the pellets 16, are injected into the mold before completion of the foaming action of the body material, so that the material foams up about the capsules and completely engulfs them. The capsules 17 may also be inserted in the core-body member combination Iii-J1 after the foaming action is complete, and they will then lie as close as possible to the tublular core member 10.

'In the modification shown in FIG. 4, the tubular core is provided, prior to its entry into the mold, with a surface coating of concentrated water-soluble waving composition, as indicated at 18. The coating 18 may be applied in any suitable manner, and is preferably now continuous so that when the combination is cut into suitable lengths to form individual curlers it terminates short of the ends of the core of each curler so as to avoid any possibility of exposure of the hands of a user to the composition during handling of the device. In the manufacture of the device of FIG. 4, the tubular core material is first coated and then passed through the traveling mold. The foamable plastic material is injected into the mold in the usual manner, and foams up about the coated tube to completely sur round and encase the surface layer of waving composition.

The various modifications described are, of course, intended to be illustrative, and not in any way to constitute a limitation on the invention. In this respect it is contemplated that other arrangements may be employed for embedding the waving composition in watersoluble but otherwise normally inaccessible form in the foamed palstic body member 11.

In use the new hair curling device is first dipped into water and generally squeezed once or twice to dissolve the waving composition and spread it throughout and to the surface of the body 11. Because the Waving composition is highly soluble in water, it is preferable to use only a predetermined amount of water, namely, that amount which is necessary to thoroughly dissolve the waving composition to a useful concentration, which amount is preferably not more than that which can be held by the foamed body 11. The ends of the hair are then wrapped about the cylindrical body part 1(l11, and the body part may be rolled until a substantial length of the hair is wrapped thereabout. -At this time the retainer 12 is assembled with the body part, so that the retaining fingers 14 lie over the hair to hold it in place on the body part. The curling device is then left in place for a predetermined length of time, during which the waving solution contained in the foamlike body member 11 seeps into the hair, effecting the desired permanent set. Depending primarily on the nature of the waving lotion employed, such additional neutralizing and/ or rinsing operations as may be necessary are carried out. Advantageously, however, the waving lotion is such that neutralizing operations are not required.

After the wave is completed, the used curling devices may be discarded, or rinsed out and used subsequently for regular setting of the hair.

The new curling device has an important advantage over prior devices in that there is a practical minimum of contact with the waving solution and no contact with the concentrated waving composition. Concentrated solutions are often harmful and irritating to the hands, and with prior devices substantial exposure has been difiicult to avoid. However, with the new device, a watersoluble waving composition is embedded in concentrated form deeply within a sponge-like body member so that contact with the waving composition is impossible until such time as it has been diluted and the curling devices are ready to be applied to the hair, at Which time the solution is harmless.

As will be readily apparent, the new curling device may be manufactured in various forms with a minimum of cost so that the device is suitable and practical as a disposable consumer item.

It should be understood, however, that the various forms of the invention herein illustrated and described are intended to be representative only as further modifications of the device may be made without departing from the clear teachings of the invention. Reference should therefore be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

We claim:

l. A hair curling device for home permanent waving comprising an imperforate tubular core member adapted to receive a portion of a retaining clip, a body member of sponge-like foamed material surrounding said core member in concentric relation and substantially coextensive therewith, and a water-soluble waving composition in concentrated form externally of said core member and adjacent thereto, said waving composition being in said body member and entirely surrounded thereby,;

2. The hair curling device of claim 1, characterized by said water-soluble Waving composition comprising a small pellet embedded in said body member adjacent said core member. l

3. The hair curling device of claim 1, characterized by said water-soluble waving composition comprising a surface coating of waving composition surrounding said tubular core member.

4. The hair curling device of claim 3, characterized by said surface coating terminating short of the ends of said core member.

5. A hair curling device for home permanent waving comprising a body member of sponge-like foamed material, a core member extending centrally through said body member, and a water-soluble waving composition in concentrated form in said body member and entirely surrounded thereby, said Water-soluble waving composit1on lying externally of said core member and adjacent thereto.

6. A hair curling device for home permanent Waving comprising an imperforate tubular core member, a body member of sponge-like foamed material surrounding said core member in concentric relation and substantially coextensive therewith, and a water-soluble waving composition in concentrated form in said body member and entirely surrounded thereby, said watersoluble waving composition comprising a quantity of waving composition encased in a water-soluble capsule and said capsule being at least partially embedded in said body member.

7. A hair curling device for home permanent waving comprising a tubular core member, a body member of sponge-like foamed material surrounding said core member in concentric relation and substantially coextensive therewith, and a water-soluble waving composition in concentrated form in said body member and entirely surrounded thereby, said water-soluble waving composition comprising a quantity of waving composition encased in a water-soluble capsule and said capsule being at least partially embedded in said body member.

8. A hair curling device for home permanent waving comprising a rigidizing tubular core member, a body member of sponge-like foamed material surrounding said core member in substantially concentric relation and substantially coextensive therewith, a water soluble waving composition in concentrated form in said body member and entirely surrounded thereby, and a multi-fingered retainer clip adapted to be received over an end of said body member to maintain a users hair wound about said body member, one of the fingers of the retainer clip being adapted to be received in said core member and the remaining fingers thereof being so spaced therefrom that they lie adjacent the outer surface of the body member when said one finger of the retainer clip is inserted in said core member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,360,644 Jacobs et a1 Nov. 30, 1920 1,894,797 Seward Jan. 17, 1933 6 Boysen Oct. 22, 1940 Allen May 29, 1956 Slingluff Oct. 29, 1957 Beauregard Sept. 29, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 11, 1953 

